Riding for Fitness

Posted on Aug 19, 2016

Cycling has become one of the most popular sports amongst people who are looking to improve their fitness levels, and it's with good reason. It’s definitely one of our reasons to get every butt on a bike. It’s a low impact activity that still allows the rider to feel the burn and increasingly improve their cardio.

Cycling is easily accessible which makes it a great way for those looking to get fit. Here are some tips for those that are using cycling for fitness.

Shake it Up

It may seem like riding at high intensity at all times is the best option if you want to improve your fitness quickly, however there is the saying “slow and steady wins the race.” Sometimes riding consistently at high intensity can put you on the fast track to injuries, which results in less riding and more recovery time.

You need to recognize that your body needs time to recover, especially if you have pushed it to its limits. Mix intense cycling with more relaxing recovery rides to ensure your body has the chance to get back to top condition while still remaining active.

Once your muscles are back in tip-top shape, you can push them again and you will soon find that everything from your power to your overall cardio starts to benefit. Shake it all up with some endurance rides, hill climbs, and other workouts and the variety will keep your muscles guessing and allow you to stay strong regardless of which ride you take.

The Right Bike

If you don’t have the right bike for your body type then you are going to find that you tire much more easily. Your body has to compensate for poor positioning by adding extra pressure onto whatever area is struggling. This could put you at risk for muscle pain.

It’s recommended that you have the right bike for your body type and workouts. Test out a bike to see if you love the open road, dirt trails, or maybe a little bit of both.

The right fit is important as well, so come visit our stores if you are unsure about where your saddle and handlebars need to be. Better positioning allows for superior technique, which also allows you to ride faster for longer.

Know Your Gears

It can be surprising just how inefficient riding in the wrong gear can make you. Set it too low and you will find there is little resistance to your pedaling, so you end up riding at a far higher cadence than you should to achieve the same results you would in a higher gear.

Set it too high and you end up doing so much work that you put undue pressure on your knees, which can lead to the end of the workout before it ever really got going.

Figure out what gear allows you to maintain a regular cadence at all points of the ride and stick to that one. You’ll need to lower it for hills and up it for flats, but as long as you remain consistent with your cadence you will find you’re more able to use cycling for fitness.

Still not sure on using your gears? Visit us at our stores and we’ll be more than happy to help you through it.

Enjoy Your Ride

Even a little bit of cycling is better than no cycling at all, so if you aren’t able to get out for as long as you would like to that doesn’t mean that you’re not working on your fitness. We want to inspire your passion for riding, and if that starts with fitness then we can only hope the feeling of freedom and fun follow.